Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Aster novi-belgii cultivar Victoria Ilona.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of potted Aster plant, botanically known as Aster novi-belgii and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Victoria Ilonaxe2x80x99.
The new Aster is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in xc3x85rslev, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Aster cultivars with uniform plant growth habit, desirable floret colors, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Aster originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in xc3x85rslev, Denmark in July, 2000, of a proprietary Aster selection identified as code number F1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Aster cultivar Loke Viking, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,359, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in xc3x85rslev, Denmark. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit and desirable inflorescence form and ray floret color.
Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in xc3x85rslev, Denmark during June, 2001. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Victoria Ilona has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Victoria Ilonaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Victoria Ilonaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Aster: 
1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Dark green foliage.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Decorative-type inflorescences with light purple-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Aster are more compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Aster differ from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret coloration.
Plants of the new Aster have more ray florets per inflorescence than plants of the male parent, the cultivar Loke Viking. In addition, plants of the new Aster differ from plants of the cultivar Loke Viking in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Loke Viking have red purple-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the cultivar Victoria Fanny, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,360. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Broby, Denmark, plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar Victoria Fanny in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aster had more ray florets per inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Victoria Fanny.
2. Plants of the new Aster and the cultivar Victoria Fanny differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Victoria Fanny had lavender blue-colored ray florets.